Xbox backwards compatibility list: All Xbox 360 games and original Xbox games playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X

A list of every supported Xbox game, from Alan Wake to Zuma, on Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

Guide
by Matthew Reynolds, Guides Editor

Updated on 28 May 2020

Xbox backwards compatibility of Xbox 360 games was Microsoft's big surprise back at E3 2015, and since debuting the feature later that year, the publisher rolled out new releases on a month-by-month basis.

While both downloadable and disc-based Xbox 360 and original Xbox games work on Xbox One and Xbox Series X, only selected games are supported on a case-by-case basis. From fan-favourite Xbox Live Arcade games to some of the biggest Xbox 360 exclusives such as Gears of War 3 and Halo: Reach, the roster represents a wide selection of some of Xbox's greatest hits.

Xbox backwards compatibility list: Every original Xbox game playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X

First introduced on October 24th 2017, here is every Xbox original game backwards compatible on Xbox One and Xbox Series X:

Armed and Dangerous

Blinx: The Time Sweeper

Bloodrayne 2

Breakdown

Conker: Live and Reloaded

Crimson Skies

Dead to Rights

Destroy All Humans!

Full Spectrum Warrior

Fusion Frenzy

Grabbed by the Ghoulies

Hunter: The Reckoning

Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb

Jade Empire

King of Fighters: Neowave

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction

MX Unleashed

Ninja Gaiden Black

Panzer Dragoon Orta

Panzer Elite Action: Fields of Glory

Pirates!

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Psychonauts

Red Faction 2

Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy

SSX 3

Star Wars Battlefront II

Star Wars Battlefront

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

Star Wars Jedi Starfighter

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

Star Wars Republic Commando

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict

Xbox Series X backwards compatibility: What are the Xbox backwards compatibility improvements on Xbox Series X?

As well as the above lists of supported Xbox One and original Xbox games, Xbox Series X also offers backwards compatibility to Xbox One games and peripherals, in what Microsoft describes as "our most powerful and compatible console ever".

Backwards compatible supported games on Xbox Series X will also benefit from several system-wide features:

Backwards compatible games will run natively on Xbox Series X hardware, offering potentially higher framerates and resolutions, plus "significant reductions" in load times using the SSD.

"Select titles" can have framerate doubled, going from 30fps to 60fps, or 60fps to 120fps.

HDR will be supported across backwards compatible games thanks to a "reconstruction technique", even going back to original Xbox and Xbox 360 games.

All titles will support Quick Resume, a system-wide feature which allows you to stop progress of multiple games and continue playing them later.

In May 2020, there was also the final tease from director of project management Jason Ronald that there are more games to come: "The team also continues to listen to feedback from the community on additional titles you would like to see added to the compatibility program."

Xbox One backwards compatibility: How well do Xbox 360 games run on Xbox One?

The experience varies from game to game. According to Digital Foundry's report, all titles receive some baseline improvements - such as the elimination of screen tear "completely on every title" - through to any disc access operations tending to "have less of an impact on performance", meaning Mass Effect's elevator load times and Fallout 3's hitches are reduced.

However, while less demanding games such as Braid and N+ perform flawlessly, the more CPU-heavy titles do struggle, with Halo: Reach and Gears of War: Judgement singled out as games that suffer in the emulation process.